--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I expected to feel only empty and…" description: "\"“I expected to feel only empty and heartbroken after Paul died. It never occurred to me that you could love someone the same way after he was gone, tha..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71e/paul-kalanithi-5204_every-moment_i-expected-to-feel-only-empty-and-heartb_1632100.jpg" --- # I expected to feel only empty and heartbroken after Paul… ![“I expected to feel only empty and heartbroken after Paul died. It never occurred to me that you could love someone the same way after he was gone, that I would continue to feel such love and gratitude alongside the terrible sorrow, the grief so heavy that at times I shiver and moan under the…” quote by Paul Kalanithi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71e/paul-kalanithi-5204_every-moment_i-expected-to-feel-only-empty-and-heartb_1632100.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71e/paul-kalanithi-5204_every-moment_i-expected-to-feel-only-empty-and-heartb_1632100.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71e/paul-kalanithi-5204_every-moment_i-expected-to-feel-only-empty-and-heartb_1632100.jpg) > ““I expected to feel only empty and heartbroken after Paul died. It never occurred to me that you could love someone the same way after he was gone, that I would continue to feel such love and gratitude alongside the terrible sorrow, the grief so heavy that at times I shiver and moan under the weight of it. Paul is gone, and I miss him acutely nearly every moment, but I somehow feel I’m still taking part in the life we created together. “Bereavement is not the truncation of married love,” C. S. Lewis wrote, “but one of its regular phases—like the honeymoon. What we want is to live our marriage well and faithfully through that phase too.” Caring for our daughter, nurturing relationships with family, publishing this book, pursuing meaningful work, visiting Paul’s grave, grieving and honoring him, persisting…my love goes on—lives on—in a way I’d never expected.”” [Paul Kalanithi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kalanithi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Grief can coexist with love and gratitude, allowing continued connection to a lost loved one while honoring their memory. **In simple terms:** Love persists after loss. Key Takeaway Embrace love and grief together. Themes grief love continuity memory healing Mood sad reflective hopeful Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - visiting grave - writing memoir - supporting family - honoring legacy Key Concepts attachment theory dual process model meaning-making Questions to Reflect On - How do you honor love while grieving? - What rituals sustain connection? A Different Perspective Grief may overwhelm and hinder daily functioning if not processed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Every moment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-moment/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Grieving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grieving/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love and gratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-and-gratitude/) [Meaningful work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaningful-work/) ## Related quotes > [As much sorrow and grief as came from 9/11, there have also come positives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mack-wilberg/as-much-sorrow-and-grief-as-came-from-9-11-there-have-also-come/) [Mack Wilberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mack-wilberg/) > [Care draws on care, woe comforts woe again, Sorrow breeds sorrow, on grief brings forth twain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-drayton/care-draws-on-care-woe-comforts-woe-again-sorrow-breeds-sorrow-on/) [Michael Drayton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-drayton/) > [The sorrow, grief, and rage you feel is a measure of your humanity and your evolutionary maturity. 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It never occurred to me that you could love someone the same way after he was gone, that I would continue to feel such love and gratitude alongside the terrible sorrow, the grief so heavy that at times I shiver and moan under the weight of it. Paul is gone, and I miss him acutely nearly every moment, but I somehow feel I’m still taking part in the life we created together. “Bereavement is not the truncation of married love,” C. S. Lewis wrote, “but one of its regular phases—like the honeymoon. What we want is to live our marriage well and faithfully through that phase too.” Caring for our daughter, nurturing relationships with family, publishing this book, pursuing meaningful work, visiting Paul’s grave, grieving and honoring him, persisting…my love goes on—lives on—in a way I’d never expected.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Kalanithi" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kalanithi/i-expected-to-feel-only-empty-and-heartbroken-after-paul-died-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Every moment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kalanithi/i-expected-to-feel-only-empty-and-heartbroken-after-paul-died-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71e/paul-kalanithi-5204_every-moment_i-expected-to-feel-only-empty-and-heartb_1632100.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71e/paul-kalanithi-5204_every-moment_i-expected-to-feel-only-empty-and-heartb_1632100.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71e/paul-kalanithi-5204_every-moment_i-expected-to-feel-only-empty-and-heartb_1632100.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I expected to feel only empty and heartbroken after Paul died. 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